Pakatan MPs fuming over delay in hike
(The Star) – The deferment of a Bill to raise MPs’ allowances seems to have left Pakatan Rakyat representatives fuming.
Many of them feel that the funds are needed to look after their constituents.
In fact, many of them have to use their salary and donations to cope with the expenses.
MP for Sungai Siput Dr D. Jeyakumar said he had to spend about RM25,000 monthly on his service centre.
“My salary is about RM12,000 and half of the amount is channelled to the service centre.
“I have four staff and two vehicles to go about the constituency, providing services to the people.”
Dr Jeyakumar said he would try to get funding from friends and supporters each month.
On Thursday, the debates on the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) (Amendment) Bill was deferred until next year following arguments from both sides on the matter.
MPs’ salaries and allowances were revised in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005.
In the Bill, it was proposed that their monthly allowance be increased to RM11,000 from RM6,508.
Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran said the role of MPs had changed.
“It does not revolve only around debating and giving public service.
“The constituents see us as the ‘chief welfare officer’.
“People come to us asking for money because of their poor background or to help with the cost of sending their children to school,” he said.
“Inflation over the years has also eaten into most of our salary,” he said.
Ipoh Timur MP Thomas Su said the increment was long overdue as their salary was even lower than some state assemblymen.
Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa said the pay rise was reasonable to pay for the increasing rent, staff salaries and also to give aid to the needy.
He said parliamentary constituencies cover a large area of at least two or three state seats, so “more money was definitely welcomed”.
Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid said the monthly allowance for Malaysian MPs was the lowest in Asean.
He said their Singaporean counterparts get an allowance of RM38,000 while those from Indonesia and the Philippines receive a salary of RM42,000 and RM41,000, respectively.
He added that they also had funds to hire researchers and to set up service centres.
Seremban MP Anthony Loke claimed that the monthly allowance for Sarawak assemblymen is RM15,000 while Selangor representatives got RM11,500.
Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik said the salary rise could help MPs cope with the high cost of living.
Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim said MPs should be given a “realistic” allocation so that they could perform their duties effectively.
Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said he would prefer it if the rental of offices and staff salaries are borne by the Government.
“With the increasing costs plus higher demands from the electorate, it is difficult to get by.”
Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong said the increase was needed particularly by Sabah and Sarawak MPs as some of their constituencies were larger than some states.
Furthermore, Sabah and Sarawak MPs also have to face a 30% higher cost of living compared to those in the peninsula, he added.
Lanang MP Alice Lau said a pay rise was overdue “especially since most of the state assemblies have already increased allowances for state representatives”.
